Nuevo Casas Grandes sign

Carlos got baptised

New investigators

Casas Nuevo flood !!

It does rain in the desert!

"I have been waiting for you guys to come!!!!"

WHAT???!!!!! hahahaha  How are my amazing family and friends this week??  Sounds like things are moving right along and everyone is happy and healthy! haha  Good to hear that the boys had fun at scout camp and that everyone is back home so that mom isn`t so lonely! ;) haha

This week was another one great for me!  Sorry I don’t have anything different to tell you, but really I’m super happy and working hard as ever so that you guys get the blessings ;) haha  No, but really I know I should be here in the mission, and even though it is super hard and I am completely exhausted I am happy and every morning I get up with a new energy and dedication!

So this week was a little bit different...  WE HAD A TON OF RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Crazy, right??  But thank goodness that we are getting a little bit of moisture or I think that we would all die... including the lizards in the streets! hahahaha  I will for sure send you some pictures of the rain; it was crazy and super fun to run through the puddles and get soaked completely!!!  A new experience for us here in the desert!  We are happy and still healthy! (even though it got pretty cold)

1.       What is the name of the street you live on?
We live on the street 6 de Marzo and Callejon Ochoa!  You should look for it on Google earth!  You can see exactly where I am at!  And also the house of our neighbor that was awake all night having a party with Karaoke! hahaha  Our neighborhood is really calm...  Well all of Casas Grandes is calm!  But we are happy where we are at, minus the cold water... but we have a basketball hoop!!!!!  So all is well :)

2.       Did you drink all your Dr. Pepper yet?
I have drunk all but one!!!!!!! (don`t tell anyone) hahahaha  I justify sinning just a little bit for my DP!  I think our Father in Heaven will understand ;)  Do you?? hahaha 

3.       Did you like Barbara’s caramels?            
WE LOVED THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WE SHARED THEM WITH EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  AND EVERYONE WANTED THE RECIPE!!!!!!!!!!!  I told them it was a secret, and if they would sacrifice their first born child they could have the recipe.... hahahahaha  But make sure she knows how grateful we are and how happy our stomachs are!!! hahaha

4.       How are the investigators coming along?
The investigators are great and are progressing!!!!!!!!!  Oh my goodness!  Silvia (remember her?)  Well she is about the strongest person I have met!  Ever since we set her date to be baptized she has been bombarded with EVERYTHING!  Her kids got sick & she can barely walk because she has an infection in her leg or something...  She has to work every single day from 9 in the morning until 10 walking in the streets... her parents aren`t supporting her and well, about any other thing that you can think of.....  BUT SHE DOESN’T DOUBT OR LOSE FAITH ONE LITTLE BIT!!!!!!!!!!!!  That is what you call true conversion!  And she couldn’t be more excited about her baptism and she is reading like crazy and just soaking everything up!!!!!!  She really is an example to me! :) 

Other than her we had a great week in finding a few new investigators........

We knocked on the door of one Hermano this week... and the first thing he said to us was....  “I have been waiting for you guys to come!!!!!”

Another young couple was standing outside and we started talking to them and they want more than anything to be sealed in the temple!  We have an appointment with them tonight!  And we have high hopes that they are going to progress!!!  (they are only 20 and 21) hahaha  It`s like teaching my friends!!!

And Angel...  well, is crazy as ever, but he also is preparing for his baptism!!!!!!!!!!!

We had a good week!  And what is better than anything else is that my testimony and my conversion are growing so much and I am learning MUCHISMAS COSAS!!!!!!!  I know that this work is inspired by the Lord; He knows His sheep!  We just have to learn to recognize the voice of our Shepherd!!!!!!!!!!  I know that He lives and that He is the Christ!  He sacrificed everything for us, so that we can return!  And this is the message of Joy we all have!!!  SHARE IT PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!

Hermana Sutton

Pamela Alaya

Trading Places

Wet Sisters

It does actually rain in the desert.

Halfway home!!

Pistola Family

I Am So Grateful & So Blessed!!!!

OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week was a great one!  The best thing is that I was in my area the whole week long!  It was great to focus just on our investigators and help them to prepare for their baptisms!!!  WE ARE SEEING MIRACLES!!!!!!!!  We have baptismal dates and people that are progressing!  THIS IS THE LIFE!!!!  NOTHING IS BETTER THAN SEEING PEOPLE WILLING TO CHANGE FOR THE SAVIOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We are on a high, and feeling great!!!!!

And just to make the whole week better I just happened to receive a lovely something from the best family in the whole world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I got the suitcase and wow, you are great!!!!  Especially with all the tampons; what is better than tampons and Dr Pepper!  I AM HAPPY. Hahaha  My companion is so very grateful for everything; she wanted me to tell you thank you so much!  I truly don´t deserve a family like you guys, or neighbors and ward members like I have!  THE LETTERS MADE ME CRY!  But it was a good cry, don´t worry!  Make sure everyone knows how grateful I am and how blessed I am!  I talked to the Hermana Ontiveros and her family and everyone said that Eric was super nice and it was fun to be in Utah.  Sadly the whole week long the boys were rubbing it in my face that they say my bro-in-law and I didn´t!  hahah  but it is great!  THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Questions:

…1…       Have you and your comp tried out the cooling towels? Do they work?

The towels are awesome and they help so much!  You always find the greatest things; you truly win the award for wisest shopper, mom!!!!!! Hahaha  It is starting to cool down a little bit... well this week was cooler!!!!!!!!  HAHAHAHAHAHA 

…2…       Have you started lessons with “Silvia” (I think that’s her name)?

SILIVIA IS A MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!!  She is incredible!  I´ll tell you a story after......

…3…       Favorite thing you ate this week?

The best thing about this week was that, on Wednesday we had a BBQ with the family PISTOLA!!!!  Okay, that is their name for us!  Angel is an investigator and his wife is a member and his daughter!  He is hilarious and super nice!  He has a fecha for agust and is super excited!  They treat us like their family!  He made us steaks and we ate potatoes and corn and SALSA!  It was so good; I felt like I was at home!  MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! 

But a quick story about Silvia - so about a month ago (before we started teaching her) she was talking to one of her friends who is a member and who works a lot in her family history!  Her friend was explaining the work for the dead, and she immediately thought well, do the work for my husband!  So her friend found the information out and tried to print out the card of the husband of saliva but it wouldn’t print....  She tried like 3 times to go to the temple and ask them and try and figure it out!  But no one knew why it wouldn´t print....  Well this week we were talking with her about Family History and how cool it would be if her son (who is 12) could do the work for his dad after their baptisms!!!!  She was SOOO excited!!!!!!!  But thought, never the less, my friend already did the work... all is well...  WELL, to find out the whole story that it would never print... Her friend and she went to try and print the card one more time... and it printed right out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahaha  She said... “I think my husband wants his son to be baptized for him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”  AWESOME HUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Silvia is progressing like crazy and so happy and is changing her life completely!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I HOPE YOU HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK AND KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I know with all that I have in my heart that our Savior Jesus Christ lives; He died for us and set the perfect example for all!  If we follow HIM we will never be lost - we will have the strength to make it through all of our challenges and trials!  Our Father in Heaven´s plan is SOOOOOOOO PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love you!  I always pray for you!

Hermana Sutton

Exchanges-Juarez-Baptism-AWESOME

THIS WEEK WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A little bit different because I wasn`t in my area very much but well, everything worked out in the end!!!  

Let`s start with Wednesday....  I went and did interchanges with a sister who is from Idaho (she actually is cousins with Mr. MUMFORD!!!) crazy huh??!  It was super fun and well, it felt good to speak a little bit of English; I need to practice more... ;)  But I went to her area, which is only like 20 minutes away and worked all Wednesday.   Then on Thursday morning, we and all the sisters from the Colonies went to Juarez!!!  (I know what you are thinking... another trip to Juarez.... but yup!!!)  I am starting to become friends with the bus drivers!!!  Maybe they will give me a discount!  hahahaha ;)  But we got to Juarez in the evening and I had a meeting with the President and the other sister training leaders and then, WE GOT TO STAY THE NIGHT IN THE SUPER NICE HOTEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I felt like I was in Heaven!!!! :) 

hot shower....

big bed....

maid service....

continental breakfast....

and the hotel is orange....

Anything better than that???   I THINK NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Then on Friday morning we had a meeting with ALL the sisters in the mission, and it went really well!  I spoke about the importance of exercise and also leading music!!!!  It went really great!!  It was fun to be with all the sisters :)

As for our baptism!  IT WENT AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!  Everything ran smooth the members were there and we even had an investigator there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)  (I will send you some pictures!!!)  But wow, every baptism I just can`t help but think of the amazing day of dads baptisms!!!  What a day that will mark history for our family :)  It is such a joy to see people change their lives because they want to come unto Christ!  This is why we are here in this life!!! IT IS THE BEST FEELING EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

So about the investigator that came to the baptism....  Her name is Silvia and we met her about 3 weeks ago.  Her husband died about a year ago and she has 3 little kids.  She has just been searching for peace and hasn't found it anywhere.  She is super nice and we have a really good relationship with her but she has had a schedule really crazy with her work these past weeks and so we have only been able to teach her like 2 times.... :(   We thought - why not invite her and see if she wants to come.  So we called her Saturday morning and told her about the baptism and she said OF COURSE!!  (crazy huh??)  

So as we walked into the church (early of course to get everything ready) she was THERE WAITING!!!!!!!!!!!  She was so excited to come she just came early!!! hahaha  So yeah, everything happened at the baptism and all that good stuff... and well the next day at church - she was there too!!!!!!!!!!!!  (Remember we have not taught her really!!!) hahaha  Last night we went to visit with her to see how her experiences were and she just looked at us and started to cry...  She told us the only thing that she could think of during the baptism is that she wanted to be the one being baptized.  She asked us what she needed to do to be baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????????????????????????????? Yes we were all bawling; the spirit was so strong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  MIRACLES HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!  I AM A WITNESS OF THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I KNOW THAT THE LORD LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I KNOW THAT JUST LIKE SILVIA, WE ALL TOO MAY FIND PEACE AND HOPE IN THIS LIFE, EVEN IF WE HIT BUMPS IN THE ROAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  THE LORD IS THERE TO GUIDE US AND PUT IN OUR PATH WHAT WE NEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a wonderful week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HERMANA SUTTON

P.S. - I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ward Elders

Daunte's baptism

soccer stadium

One Day She Will Play There

Futbol Missionaries

Happy 4th of July

Wow - sounds like you all are pretty patriotic now a days!!!  hahaha  I can`t lie.... the party here wasn`t as great!!  But just wait for the 15 of September!!!  ALL OF MEXICO IS A PARTY!!!!!!!!!  hahahaha  But we did our best to celebrate it; I just happened to be in Juarez for a meeting and we found some decorations and took pictures!  It was really fun, nothing like the cook offs and car show!  But will pay it back next year okay?? ;)  BUT HAPPY FOURTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And Happy Birthday JENNIFER!!!

So like I said I went to Juarez this week for the annual training meeting!  (They are always amazing.)  PRESIDENT DERBEZ IS PRETTY MUCH MY HERO!!!!!!  HE IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!  I learned a ton and we had a lot of fun sleeping in the super nice hotel and well, enjoying the queen sized beds!!!!!!!!!!!!  HEAVEN!  While I was in Juarez I got the package from MOM!!!!!!  And I loved it :)  Thank you so much!  Let me just tell you how in tune with the spirit you are....  On Friday we missed our bus (or better said - there weren`t any tickets to come back from Juarez) so we had to stay another night in Juarez...  BUT I DIDN’T HAVE CLOTHES!!!!!!!!!!  But don`t worry MOMMA SUTTON always knows, and there just happened to be a lovely skirt and shirt waiting for me in the package!!!  THANK YOU & THANK YOU Grandma Reva!!!!!!!!! hahahaha  Even from Utah you are taking care of your little girl!!!!!!!!!!! hahahaha

We had a really great week with our investigators!!!  We are going to have a baptism this next weekend for a little boy!!!  And then hopefully the other weekend for Angel!!  (I sent names to dad last week of investigators)  We are seeing miracles and enjoying being here and working hard!  Really I receive a witness everyday that this is the work of the Lord and we are just here to help!  We have to work in His way and we have the promise that everything will work out :)  I have seen that!!!  There is a scripture in D&C  97:8  That talks about the sacrifices we make!!  IT IS WORTH IT!!!!!!  As a member of the church we have the duty to sacrifice everything we have to the LORD!!  Not just missionaries!  BUT EVERYONE!!!!!!!!  We must show our love for Him by our sacrifices!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, it RAINED YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ACTUALLY GOT A LITTLE COLD AT NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!! CRAZY - HUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????? But we are so grateful for a little moisture; we sure need it in this desert!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahaha 

Also, I wish I had time to tell you about one of the less active families that we are teaching... but let me just say....  They completely changed their lives with the BOOK OF MORMON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It has power and it has changed everything for them!!!!!  If you are having problems, READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Sutton

Hotel in Juarez

Juarez 4th of July

Hermana Santos

Supporting Mexico

VIVA Mexico

Cheering for the Mexican National Team

Area Missionaries

Sister Estrada, Sister Sutton, Elder Almaraz, Elder Panchito

Juarez Zone Missionaries

New Investigators... YEAH!!!!!

I AM MEXICAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  hahahahahahaha  (one day.....)

This week was awesome; we had a lot of miracles!  And we are starting to see all of our work paying off!  We found 10 new investigators this week, and every single experience was amazing!  The Lord really is putting us where we need to be!  

On Monday night we were walking down a little street and there was a little boy that was with his mom trying to learn how to walk....  And well, you guys had just sent me a video of Beckham walking for the first time... so I had to run over to them and show them a picture of my cute baby!!!  It was perfect!  We won their trust in a heartbeat!!!  (THANK YOU BECKHAM!!!!!!!!!!)  

There is a family of a mom and her three daughters like (14, 18, 20 years old).  It is like a party house; they are so hilarious and so fun to be around!  The mom had actually listened to the missionaries a few years ago but they told her they were there to make her feel something different... and well it wasn`t her time and didn´t feel anything with them!  But the first time we went to her house, I started the lesson out with a song, and she almost started crying!  She said, “Well NOW I am feeling something different!!!”  IT WAS A MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The Lord is preparing people alike like crazy... and maybe if their timing wasn´t a few years ago... it is now!!!!!  We have another lesson with them tonight, and I might just have to sing another hymn! (hahahaha)  Keep them in your prayers!!!!

We also put our first baptismal date, for an hermano!  His wife is a member but he isn`t but he wants to be!  HE IS COMPLETELY CRAZY!!!!!  But they are a sweet family that just moved into our ward!  We are so excited!!!  But dad, I need advice... what was the thing that HIT YOU!!!!!!!!!  We have about 8 families in our ward that the dad isn`t a member... But we are struggling to figure out how to help them!!!  GIVE US SOME ADVICE OLD MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

1.       Did you get new shoes yet. If not WHY?
I haven’t gotten new shoes... But I promise I am good!!!  Don´t worry!!! hahahahaha  I do have a pretty sweet tan line on my feet though!!!!  I look ridiculous with all my tan and whiteness!!! hahahaha

2.       Do you ever get to drive a car?
NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And thank goodness; the people drive crazy here!!! hahahahaha ;)

3.       Where do you get the bread for sacrament?
They just buy it!  Or a man in our ward that has a bread store makes it :)

4.       Eaten anything really hot lately?
HMMMMMMMMM HOTT???????? NO...... but I learned how to make Chile Colorado the other day with an hermana!!!  We made enchiladas (not like what you are thinking... MEXICAN STYLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but they were super good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am loving being here in the mission!  I am loving forgetting myself and putting others before me!  I am loving talking to new people and sharing the experience that we have had as a family!  Ustedes son LOS MEROS MEROS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Sutton! (I think I am losing weight with all this heat!) hahahahahaha